satisfy Stern's critic, or the Austrian police when granting an Italian passport;-but the air, the expression, the ensemble, cannot be thus noted; of them every one is left to form his own idea, and probably a different one is formed by each. Description of scenery (on which, except in the Scotch novels, I entreat the Chancellor of the Exchequer immediately to lay a duty amounting to a prohibition) does not labour-would that it did!-under the same difficulty. If you give so much trees to one side, so much ruin to the other, so much water to the centre, and so much hill for the back ground;-set half a dozen painters to work, and their half-dozen pictures will be pretty nearly alike. But describe a face to them, and you would have a row of pictures, resembling each other indeed, in general characteristics, but not to be recognised as springing from the same source, still less as intended to represent the same individual. Anacreon's directions to his painter would have produced a very beautiful, a very luxuriant and luxurious creature, such as his mistress probably was; but the portrait would have been equally that of any other voluptuously beautiful woman in Teos. Thus, I am conscious, that I have never been able fully to convey the effect produced by the heterogeneous conjunction of feature, formation and size, which existed in the head of my mega-cephalistic friend. If I conld but borrow for two minutes the graver of Cruikshank, with the power of using it, I would, in a dozen strokes, convince my readers that 'the head' was indeed calculated to make even more than the impression which I have described it to have done upon me.

I had no idea, however, of ever seeing this well-remembered countenance again. I had ranked it among those which, as they flit across you once during your life, leave, nevertheless, a remembrance which lasts as long as that life itself. I speak (as of course all people do speak in such matters) from my own feelings and experience :-I do not know whether it is the case with others; but for my own part, some faces, which I had never seen but once, and that even passing in the street, have left an impression upon me more deep, immediate, and defined than that produced by others, with which, from time and opportunity I ought be thoroughly familiar. I have felt more than once, on such occasions, a sudden and indescribable sensation of almost recognition;-as if I had been wandering through the world, like one of Plato's divided spirits, in search of this very being, and exclaimed 'Here it is at last!'*

Two or three years after the vision at the post-house, I was crossing from Dublin to Holyhead. It was before the steam-boats were established; consequently during the undisturbed reign of that most ingenious of all inventions for human torture-a packet.

A packet is a small vessel, it is true; but it contains in my view as many horrors as a large one ;-nay, more; for of necessity the great majority of the passengers are not used to the sea, and the shortness of the voyage prevents their becoming so. Nine out of ten are, therefore, sickand, as the whole set of them are piled, like fowls in a coop, in a cabin of a few feet square, the size of the vessel operates only as a condensing power of abominations. For my own part, I am bon marin, as far as stomach goes; and at the time I mention had never been sea-sick. We

My readers will please to observe that the pronoun 'it' is equally applicable to a face of either sex.

embarked at night, at the Pigeon-house, which is built upon a pier running out two or three miles into Dublin bay. It was a beautiful night; and we had a fine fresh breeze which sent the vessel gallantly through the water. I remained on deck, of course-which I paced, although there was a good deal of motion-for I have at least gained so much by my voyages as to have pretty good sea legs. The Irish are very proud of the beauties of Dublin bay-and justly, for they are great. It was impossible to see them to more advantage than at this moment. Indeed, I think all sea-views are best visited by pale moonlight.' The waves, as they rise, glitter without dazzling, and the general light is strong enough to show the beauties of the prospect, and yet sufficiently subdued to throw a most becoming softness and indistinctness over the whole. As we cut rapidly out of the bay, with this beautiful light shining down upon the beautiful scene, and the fresh salt breeze blowing inspiritingly upon me, I began almost to forget that I was condemned to sixty miles of sea, and caught myself repeating in a buoyant tone,

'Oft had he ridden on that winged wave,

And lov'd its roughness for the speed it gave.' almost before I was aware of the folly I was committing. It was not long, however, before I had occason to observe the want of seamanship of the couplet, which so practised a sailor as Lord Byron would never have been guilty of in prose. When we cleared the land, the wind (which had hitherto been pretty fair side-wind) began to draw a-head; and of course the 'roughness' of our progress became greater, and its 'speed' proportionately less. I was sailor enough to perceive that if matters went on as they appeared likely to do, we should have a long passage, which at once cured me of the slight fit of romance into which I had been trepanned, and punished me for it at the same time. We had hauled closer to the wind, which caused the vessel to lie over so much as to stop my walk; so, 'I wrapped my old cloak about me,' and took my station against the taffrail. I tried to enter into conversation with the man at the helm; but he was a surly Welchman, and either could not or would not speak a word of English. The few passengers who had remained on deck at first, gave in one by one, and slunk away to their berths, some to sleep, but the great majority to be sick. For me, with all my stomach, I was well convinced what would be the inevitable consequence of a descent into the tartarus of a cabin, and had, therefore, no sort of idea of going below. By degrees, however, black clouds began to gather and approach from a-head, which foreboded not only rain, but also the extreme slowness of the progress we were likely to make. But prognostics were accomplished; for the rain soon began to fall in a manner which proved to me that it would not be very long before my water-proof cloak was wet through With the rain, also, the wind increased-which, as we were close hauled, made the vessel pitch much more strongly. At last the spray began to wash over the deck in thick showers and I found that I must determine at once on being drenched and on remaining in my wet clothes during a long passage, or risk the encounter with all the horrors I might meet below.

I accordingly descended, and crept to the berth which I had had the foresight to secure in case of need. I did not close an eye-that of course; I was not sick:-but the Seven Sleepers themselves could not have rested in the

berths of a packet. The very uncomfortable human noises which surrounded me would, of themselves, have been enough to keep any body but a boatswain awake. But besides, each pitch of the vessel drew out every limb to a stretch of the sinews very far from agreeable:-I occupied myself in trying to draw from it an idea of what the rack As the night advanced, every five minutes some redhot Irish voice called out "Stewart!". --as it is pronounced Hibernicè " are we near the head ?"-" Stewart! are we half-way over?"-" Stewart! how long will it be before we'll be in?" Every impatient answer to which questions proved that we should not "be in" for four-and-twenty hours at least.

was.

66

I passed the night without sickness; but in the morning I began to be so weary and uncomfortable, that I resolved to go upon deck again, coûte qui coûte. But I had scarcely got my head above the companion ladder, before I saw that the weather was such as to render my staying there totally impracticable. I was therefore obliged to return, and then -the first mouthful of the thick, foul air, poisoned by the abominations of the whole night, quite upset me; and for four-and-twenty hours I felt, for the first time, the horrors of that most dreadful of all maladies, sea-sickness. I call it so in sober seriousness, for it is so for the time it lasts.Why it should be always the subject of a joke, I never could give the most distant guess. It is impossible for any thing to be less of a jesting matter to him who feels it; and I really think it comes within that class of human calamities which are usually reckoned too serious for ridicule. I think we might as well laugh at a man for having a typhus fever. We were six-and-thirty hours on the passage!—At last, the welcomest news I ever received in my life came down, —that we were running into the bay at Holyhead. I had somewhat recovered by this time; so I instantly jumped out of my cot, and began to arrange my toilet as well as I could. While I was doing this, I looked towards the berth which was immediately over mine; its occupant had suffered dreadfully, as I had full well heard during the whole time I had lain beneath him. The curtains were drawn,-but just at that moment a hand put them slowly back, and out came the Head!!!' I litterally staggered with surprise, and (shall I own it?) there mingled in the feeling a something which might almost be construed as approaching to fright. For nothing human ever resembled the Head' as I now saw it. The immense flat cheek was, from the violence of the sickness, quite sunken and yellow; the hair, which was black, slightly grizzled, was matted and tangled into every shape, and the ends started rather than straggled, in every direction; the eyes were dim, sunken, lost: so exhausted was the unfortunate man, that it seemed to be with difficulty he opened them sufficiently for another person to see that they existed. The corners of his mouth were drawn down, and his interminable chin was encrusted with marks of the disorder under which he had suffered. But, perhaps, that which added the most to the ghastliness of his appearance, was, that the neckcloth (he was dressed all but his coat) had been tumbled and twisted into a dirty rope, which left his long and loose neck exposed. There is nothing so meanly disfiguring to any man as this; but, in the present case, it added to the already supernatural length of the head, and to the general gauntness of the whole aspect, in a manner that might almost excuse the little emotion of dread which his sudden and most unlooked for appearance had occasioned me.

He shortly after came upon deck, and had now sufficiently re-adjusted himself to look very much the same as I had seen him a few years before; except that he was still cadaverously pale, or rather yellow, and that his eyes were still deeply sunken, and were expressive of considerable exhaustion. I now found that he was an Englishman, and his signature in the steward's book made me acquainted with his name.

After this, I met him twice in London-once in the street, and again, a couple of years after, in the pit at the Opera. I then lost sight of him for a considerable time, and began to fear that my long-headed friend was dead. I was afraid that, like John Bull in the song of Nongtongpau, I should, after having met him in so many variations and combinations of circumstance, at last fall in with his funeral. I had some thoughts at one time of enquiring of the Phrenological Society concerning him; for I was sure they could not allow so remarkable a skull to descend into its grave without having a cast of it taken, for the promotion of their scientific and very useful studies. I should, indeed, like to know what organs went to the composition of such a head, and whether or not it had more than the usual number. When the worthy society aforesaid allowed so many to the surface of a Sweedish turnip, surely a real human head of such extraordinary dimensions must have an extra number to its own share.

But, last year, I met my man again; and, as usual, in a distant part of the world from where I had before seen him, and at a moment when his appearance was quite unlooked for. During the course of last autumn, I happened to be at Florence. I met there a friend of mine who had been in Italy some time; and who undertook to show me the lions, kindly adding his assistance te enable me to judge of them when seen. Like most other of our countrymen who have passed a few months under an Italian sky, he was, in all matters of art, an amateur, and beginning strongly to doubt whether he ought not rather to be termed a conoscento. He had his own little theory touching the relative merits of the two Venuses, and of those of the more celebrated one in comparison with the Apollo. He knew the history and traditions of every piece of architecture, sculpture, and painting, from the days of Michael Angelo downwards, and was not slow of communicating them. In short, under his pilotage, I safely avoided these rocks and shallows so perilous to inexperienced critics-so I very willingly resigned myself, to his skilful guidance. One day he took me to Bartolini's. No Englishman who has taste and fifty guineas can be at Florence without sitting to this celebrated sculptor for his bust;-some indeed, who have more taste and more guineas, prefer a full-length statue; while those who possess a treble portion of both petrify themselves, cum suis, into a group. I shall not say in which commodity I was deficient; but I went only for the purpose of going over the atelier, to inspect the treasures it contains. My friend, however, wished to speak with Bartolini, and took me with him to the room where the artist was at work. The servant told us that there was a sitter with him, but as my friend desired only to see him for two minutes, we were admitted. A green curtain hangs before the door on the inside; when this was withdrawn for us to enter, I beheld

The story of a cast of a Swedish turnip being passed upon the Phrenoligists as that of the skull of Professor Von Tornhippson, a learned Swede, is well known. They reported him to have all the finenesse becoming a person of such 'e-ru-di-ti-on.'

the sitter and his bust-'the Man with the Head,' and its duplicate in stone! There he was, with his neck bare, and a cloth thrown across his shoulders to represent the folds of the Roman toga! And, then, the rigid imperturbable likeness of the lengthy marble copy! For the nonce, it was too much. I stopped short in amazement on the threshold, and exclaimed, with the ghost-seer in the story-‘Ah, ciel ! en voilà deux !' *

LONDON AND PARISIAN FASHIONS. DRESSES.-The redingote style of costume is obtaining most favor this winter; and as this mode leads especially to an elegant display of the waist part, especially in those dresses where the ancient manner is adopted, this part of the toilette obtains particular attention. A no less important matter than this outward department, is that of the fitting and choice of the corset. It is hardly necessary to remark, that ease as well as elegance is obtainable by due attention to this very important particular; and that to display an admirable shape, and set off a beautiful dress, we should, and must have, not tight, but close-fitting corsets, which is the perfection of the art.

The sous-jupes of Crinoline require particular care in the choice of length, amplitude, and position on the hips, in order properly and gracefully to throw out the dress.They are worn not immediately under the dress, but the petticoat.

The attempt at the introduction of high-heeled shoes has been hitherto as complete a failure as that of a noble lord in regard to the deeds of chivalry, which appear to have departed from among us. Not so, however, the style, costliness, and profusion of lace, which in almost every respect seems to bring us back to the times of the Elizabeths, Henri Quatres, &c.; the adoption of spencers, and modification of the hoop-style, which are introduced in such a manner, and with such art, as, while introducing the styles of ancient days, not to compromise the tastes and habits of your own age.

Redingotes of silk, embroidered with and having the addition of a trimming of brandebourgs, are in considerable vogue.

These ornaments are also sewn equally on Poult de soies, Levantines, &c. corresponding in color with the pattern of the dress.

A Poult de soie dress, the color azure blue, glacé white, had the corsage of the Mary Stuart style, trimmed with English point lace, both at top and at the ceinture, as well as the sleeves; a deep flounce of the same was looped up in front as high as the knees by nœuds.

The guipures for ornaments obtain very great vogue, and silk as well as other fabrics have these additions.

The Paletot, which is one of the newest fashionable introductions that affords such scope to the display of an elegant taste, is becoming a considerable favorite. One of them was recently observed in velvet, of deep-colored blue, lined with white satin; an embroidery which entirely surrounded it of deep and bright-blue intermixed, gave an elegant finish to it.

My readers, I conclude, are acquainted with the ghost story of the young Frenchman who lost his betrothed on the eve of marriage, and who believed he saw her spirit every night in her bridal dress. His friends, to prove to him the folly of his belief dressed a twin sister (or, I believe, a twin-like cousin) of the deceased in a dress precisely similar, and placed her at the foot of the widowed bridegroom's bed, exactly at the hour the spirit came. He looked up, and crying out Ah! ciel! en voilà deux!' fell back dead upon his pillow.-I do not say that the sight ofthe two heads had an equal effect upon me.

Another was in white cachmere, lined with pale-blue, and having a deep cachmere trimming; satin broad piping and nœuds, gave an agreeable relief to this rich toilette. A spencer of azure blue velvet was made to open in front

like a heart.

A small guipure ornamented it, as well as the lower part of the sleeve and wristband. A cordeliere which was sloped into coques on the bust fell somewhat below the point of the corsage, and ornamented in a similar manner to the upper part of the sleeve.

Another spencer had a guipure ornamented in front and was terminated by a cordeliere, which descended to the flounce of the dress, which had a heading bouillonné. The skirts were in levantine and embroidered silk.

Three dresses yet remain to be described to complete this department, which were sent from Paris to the empress of Russia.

A dress of rose colored satin, glacé white, had a kind of running pattern forming serpentine columns, worked in white, as perfectly and well defined as the most elaborate embroidery, trimmed with Alençon lace.

Another of reps azure blue, with a varied and beautiful set of designs worked in silver and white silk slightly shaded with blue. These various patterns were united by delicate tendrils of silver, which serpentined thoughout the dress in the most tortuous windings; deep volans and sleeves of silver lace.

The third was of white satin, of a substance, yet of a pliancy that was admirably united. Rich bouquets of the most varied tints and colors, worked in silk and gold.

HATS, CAPS, &c.-The elegant little rice straw hats, and the ærial looking crape bonnets, that so admirably comported with the summer toilettes, are giving way to those of satin, reps &c. which, nevertheless, preserve the style of ornaments in adopting the beautiful laces, both new and old, such as we have already seen so profusely displayed throughout the season, and the underneath portion of the front obtains no small share of this beautiful ornament; barbes are also worn instead of ribbons, which thus enhance the elegance and costliness of these articles of the

toilette.

A bronze colored satin hat had a black lace demi-voile, the crown was edged as well as the curtain with the same, and a wide barbe extended below the neck.

A poult de soie bonnet, dahlia colored, had guipure ornaments tastefully disposed, and dahlias placed between the crown and brim.

A white satin hat was made to lie far back in the brim, the curtain rather elevated, a bouquet of velvet flowers of the same color ornaments it.

The demi caps and turbans in gold-embroidered gauze are much admired, with the long barbes of gold lace, which give them such an elegant and courtly effect.

Velvet turbans and tocques ornamented with pearls and precious stones, are of a similar character and admirably suit the ancient style now so frequently adopted.

A marabout feather, a bird of paradise plume, or one of those light and vapoury feathers that would seem to be dissipated by a breath of wind, are all suitable and becoming ornaments to the coiffures that are now in vogue.

MATERIALS.-We may still mention the favorite watered silks, Chinese silks, and satins, worked, figured, &c., in so many elegant styles as to create almost regret at giving them up for some more select novelties.

Scotch poplins, designating the various clans, as well as others plain and in a variety of patterns, have lately become an admirable article of costume, though probably but temporary, as most of such national introductions usually are.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.

PLATE I.

FIGURE 1.-WALKING DRESS.--Challi Dress; corsage made high with a slight bordering, open in front and crossed; the sleeve made full in the centre with three frills in the upper part; the middle of the dress ornamented with a row of noeuds down the front. Crape bonnet with veil.

FIGURE 2.-CARRIAGE DRESS.-Levantine dress; the corsage made to fit accurately all round, with deep lace frilling round the upper part, the sleeves similarly shaped to the previously described ones; but the frills, of which there are three, placed more closely together and deeper, a double frilling with a twisted silk cord passing down the middle proceeds down the dress in two rows diverging towards the bottom part. Capote of lace embroidered.

FIGURE 3.-WALKING DRESS.-Organdi dress; the corsage cut rather low in front, made to open in front, and having a double edging of narrow blond passing round the border; the sleeve proceeding no farther than the elbow, made round and full, and terminating in a sabot with narrow edging, the upper part ornamented with a double row of small bouillons; a couple of flounces are placed on the lower part of the skirt in a serpentine form. The hat of paille de riz with flowers.

FIGURE 4.-WALKING DRESS.-Mousseline de laine dress; a fichu of the same material as the dress, with a frilled edging, is placed over the shoulders and across the front of the corsage, which is laid in small gathers and crossed folds; the sleeve is rather full to the wrist; the skirt is ornamented with a volan in the Tunic style, a couple also ornament the lower part of the skirt as flounces. Tuscan hat with voilette.

The First Half Figure has the upper part laid in bands, a narrow edging of blond surrounds the lowest of these, and a deep volan of the same is placed round the ceinture. Silk bonnet with a noud and drooping feather.

The Second Half Figure has the corsage made low in the neck, and sleeves being in the upper part bouffanted and plain alternately. Organdi bonnet with nœuds and flowing ends.

The bonnets are embellished principally with ornaments placed on with great freedom from stiffness, of the same material, with the addition of small bouquets. The caps ornamented with roses.

PLATE II.

FIGURE 1.-PROMENADE DRESS.--Silk dress; half high mounting corsage, made plain, and covered with an embroidered cannezou. The sleeves full and having a couple of bouillons in the upper part. The skirt is ornamented down the front by volans, formed of ribbon bows disposed thickly together, separating further apart as they approach the termination of the dress. Gros de Tour hat with veil. FIGURE 2.-WALKING DRESS.-Gros de Tour dress; open in front of the corsage, and frilled round the border; sleeve made rather full and having a velvet ornament at the top, similar ornaments are placed at nearly regular intervals down the front of the dress. Gros d'Afrique bonnet with

ribbon noeuds.

FIGURE 4.-WALKING DRESS.-Clan silk dress; the corsage made pelerine style in satin, and black lace extending entirely down the front to the termination of the skirt; the sleeve full, having a frilling of black lace at the upper part; the flounce of the same material put on full. The bonnet falling back in the upper part of the brim, and having a long drooping feather pendant from the side. The First Half Figure is a representation of the back of the figure immediately under it.

The Second Half Figure is made high in the corsage, and has a rouleau proceeding entirely round the middle of the corsage in an horizontal direction. The bonnets are in Tuscan and silk, and have principally ornaments of the same material and of velvet. PLATE III.

FIGURE 1.-EVENING DRESS.-Gros de Naples dress; the corsage made moderately high and peaked, having a double blonde fall: the sleeves short, and formed of two bouff ans; skirt full, with a couple of flounces with a piped edging; and full-edged tulle cap with barbes of the same, edged with lace, and two demi-garlands.

FIGURE 2.-WALKING DRESS.-Poplin Redingote; turned over at the corsage in the manner of a cape, and having a frilling as a border both of this part and the front of the dress; sleeves having a couple of bouffans laid on plain, the rest full to the wrist, where it is gathered into a small globular form. Drawn bonnet in Gros d'Afrique.

FIGURE 3.-EVENING DRESS.-Figured Muslin Dress; the corsage half high mounting laid in upright folds, and having a narrow scolloped edging; ceinture fixed by an enamelled broach; sleeves full, except at the top and wrist, and with a large biais flounce to the lower part of the dress. The muslin fichu has an embroidered frilled edging. Hair plain, with noeuds at the back.

FIGURE 4.-EVENING DRESS.-Satin dress; the corsage ascending somewhat high on the shoulders, sloped both at the back and the bust; gathered in small upright folds at the lower part of the front of the waist; a small cape falls gently over the shoulders, less in width at the back and coming to a point in front; the sleeves moderately full; the front and border of the dress, which assumes the robe form, is embellished with numerous narrow volans, which give an agreeable finish. Coiffure plain.

The First Half Figure has the corsage placed on full, and crossing in front; ceinture tied in a nœud in front.

The Second Half Figure has the corsage of a similar style, peaked in front, and higher; sleeves ornamented in the upper part with dented frillings.

Bonnets in Gros de Naples and Satin, with flower and feather ornaments; the caps in Tulle and Muslin, and decorated with bouquets.

PLATE IV.

FIGURE 1.-WALKING DRESS.-Silk pelisse; made close in front of the corsage, the sleeve slightly gathered in the upper part, full without diminution to the wrist; the front of the corsage, as well as the skirt, is ornamented by rows of braiding which graduate in size according to the amplitude of the dress. The satin bonnet is trimmed with velvet.

FIGURE 2.-EVENING DRESS.-Figured lace dress; half high mounted corsage, having a mantilla ornament to the corsage, which reaches in the stomacher form to the ceinture, which ends in a peak; an ornament of the same material as the dress, interwoven with satin, is disposed in the tablier form on the skirt, joining a flower of the same and terminating in nœuds; the skirt itself is fastened up at intervals, exhibiting underneath a jupon of similar material. Crape hat with blond barbe and drooping feathers.

FIGURE 3.-WALKING DRESS.-Satin pelisse; having a broad lappel dented and a double bordering in corresponding style, running down and round the dress, and terminating at a little distance from the hem, the sleeves of which are full in the middle, have ornaments to suit. Satin capote with lace bordering and ornaments.

First Half Figure-a satin redingote, with the upper part of the sleeve ornamented in small gathers.

The Second Half Figure in muslin, the corsage continued high up the neck; full sleeves. The bonnets are in satin velvet and mousseline de laine, the ornaments formed for the most part of the material of which the bonnets are composed. The middle one in the upper part will be remarked as having the turn of the brim sudden and elevated. That on the left underneath has one corner squared and one peaked.